Apparel requires large quantities of materials to be used for manufacture of a static form, which may not be salable once manufactured due to the rapidly changing demands of the fashion industry. More specifically, fashion trends related to female swimwear (i.e., bikinis) and female undergarments (i.e., bras), also evolve rapidly. A manufacturer of bikinis and bras typically purchases and makes a substantial number of units of such articles designed and styled for purposes of sale during a particular season, and once the season is over and/or trends changes, manufacturers and re-sellers are left with unsold units of bras and bikinis having designs that are no longer desirable, and thus, many of the bras and bikinis made, or the fabric designs for the bras and bikinis goes to waste. Thus, it would be desirable to develop a system for designing and marketing bras and bikinis that would tend to reduce waste when fashion tastes change.
For swimwear especially, considered to be seasonal apparel, buying new sets each season can become costly. To have interchangeable parts for swimwear that provide different design elements for swimwear provides a versatile, cost-effective solution for creating multiple swimwear “looks” without purchasing full sets or pieces of swimwear each season.
A modular swimwear system completed by the connector elements described herein allows for manufactured swim apparel to no longer be fully wasted if unsalable, as the apparel becomes dynamic and changeable with the changing of any or all straps that hold the article onto the part of the body to be covered. If a certain base piece or articulating closure piece is unsalable, only that separate piece will be destroyed or sold at a potential loss, which lowers rate of waste or lost profits.
The invention described herein solves the above-referenced problem by creating a modular bikini and bra attachment, closure, and adjustment system wherein because, for example, bikinis are sold in their component parts (uppers, lowers (front and back), and connecting devices such as straps). If trends change, the connecting devices, at a minimum can be saved, and the uppers and lowers can be re-purposed for use in conjunction with other, more trendy uppers and/or lowers, where possible, thus, reducing garment waste.
Another issue with bikinis and female undergarments is that they typically show the mechanical closure details that are often not aesthetically pleasing. The mechanical closure details involve adjustment mechanisms with undesirable visible connections. For most bras, the closure and adjustment function is the same—a series of unsightly bent-wire bra loops that, when not attached to the hook at the tightest setting, are visible. In swimwear, tops either are tied on, or have similarly unsightly bra-type closure and adjustment mechanisms. Traditional unsightly bra mechanisms either expose the unattractive bent-wire hooks, or place the back articulation askew from the center of the back—both of which are undesirable attributes of traditional bras and bra-styled swim tops. Tie-on swim tops may provide for enhanced adjustability, but dangling tie ends lack the clean and finished look that many women desire.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an interchangeable and adjustable bra or bikini attachment and closure system that is modular, hides the unsightly mechanical details used for size adjustment, and provides better display of the desired visual elements of a bra or bikini set.